REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF CROP 



ESTIMATES. 



United States Departjient of Agriculture, 



Bureau of Crop Estimates, 

 Washington^ D. 6'., October 1, 1919. 



Sir : I have the honor to submit herewith the report of the Bureau 

 of Crop Estimates for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1919, 

 Respectfully, 



Leon M. Estabrook, 



Chief of Bureau, 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



WAR ORGANIZATION OF THE BUREAU. 



The reorganization of the Bureau of Statistics and its change in 

 title to Bureau of Crop Estimates in July, 1914, was coincident Avith 

 the breaking out of the World War. It is fortunate that this reor- 

 ganization was effected at that time, as the war, even before the 

 United States took an active part in it, stimulated the demsnd for 

 crop and live-stock estimates, estimates of surplus and deficiency of 

 food and feed supply, consumption requirements, exports and im- 

 ports of the United States and foreign countries, which the bureau 

 could not have met with the old organization. The most important 

 change involved in the reorganization of the bureau and the one which 

 resulted in greatest improvement in the crop-reporting service was 

 the appointment of trained field agents, one for each State or group 

 of smaller States, who were in most cases legal residents of the States 

 to which they were assigned, and whose interests were therefore 

 closely identified with those of the people of the States in which their 

 work is carried on, who travel over their States monthly during the 

 crop season, personally observing and inspecting crops, interviewing 

 the best informed men and enlisting their active cooperation in ob- 

 serving and reporting upon conditions for the monthly crop reports. 



V>y the time the United States entered the war, in April, 1917, these 

 field agents had become thoroughly familiar Avith local conditions and 

 sources of information in their States, so that when the necessity arose 

 diu'ing the war emergency for obtaining dependable information 

 quickly concerning present and prospective food supply, or any phase 

 of crop and live-stock production for the use of the administrative 

 officials of the Federal Government, it could readily be obtained 



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